Gerstein credits donors and details for CPC fundraising breakthroughs

The Tory war chest has made record breakthroughs but the money-making machine must not rest after last month’s election victory, the Conservative Party’s chief fundraiser warns.

Senator Irving Gerstein told delegates to the party’s policy convention in Ottawa Saturday that members must keep up the momentum to brace for the future.

“Complacency is our greatest enemy,” he said. “Just because we form a majority government does not mean we can stop the hard work that got us here, and just because the threat of an election is no longer imminent does not mean we can afford to procrastinate or rest on our laurels. To build on yesterday’s success, we must prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.”

Gerstein credits grassroots donors and cutting-edge fundraising techniques for the party’s successes. As chair of the Conservative Fund – the fundraising wing of the party – Gerstein said the operation runs like a business with sharp focus and attention to detail.

Pointing to Elections Canada reports from 2010 showing the Conservatives kilometres ahead of opponents — raising $17.4 million last year ahead of the Liberal Party’s $6.6 million and the NDP’s $4.4 million — he said “results speak for themselves.”

Since it was founded in 2003, the Conservative Party has spent more than $170 million to fight four elections, carrying out pre-writ advertising blitzes and improving its technology. It has climbed out of a $12-million hole and now stands on solid financial footing.

“The Conservative Party’s 2011 election campaign is paid for, we are debt-free, and the party has cash on hand,” Gerstein said, adding the party spent the maximum allowable limit of $21 million on the campaign.

During the first quarter of 2011, the Conservatives took in $7.4 million, compared to $4 million in the same period last year — a record for any political party, Gerstein said, adding this quarter is also on track to beat past bests.

The party’s success raking in cash rests largely with its effective use of a database that also serves political purposes. The direct voter program reaches out to Canadians, identifies those who share Conservative values and mobilizes them, Gerstein said.

The voter identification and “get out the vote” programs resulted in the election of 40 Conservative MPs from key battlegrounds who would not likely otherwise be in the House of Commons. Gerstein said constant innovation and employment of new tools such as cell number texting, decentralized call centres, Google docs and maps, smart phone applications and embedded YouTube messages have all aided the party’s strategy.

And while recent hacker attacks on the CPC website proves no system is perfect, Gerstein assured donors that personal details were not compromised.

“I’m no Internet expert, but the party does have experts and they assure me that no donor information was stolen to be used for fraudulent purposes,” he said. “In fact, most of the information was already publicly available. Nevertheless, I want you to know that the party is taking and has taken this incident very, very seriously.”

While making continued investments in new technology, the party also aggressively raises money through the traditional methods of direct mail and phone solicitation.

Gerstein said the planned elimination of per-vote subsidies to political parties – which will lead to a $12-million annual loss for the Conservatives – is another reason for redoubling fundraising efforts. But the CPC is better positioned than other parties to make up the difference with a broad base of donors who make an average contribution of $120.

Direct advertising is a vital form of expression because it’s the only way for parties to communicate with citizens without going through the “filter” of mainstream media, Gerstein said, adding the size of any party’s war chest reflects the strength of its ideas.

“Message creates momentum, creates money. It is never the other way around,” he said. “I have been a bagman for a long time, and I know what it’s like when donations are slow. I can assure you the tide always turns. But the fundraising tide, unlike the ocean tide, is totally unpredictable. There are not tables or almanacs to tell us when the flood tide might lead us to fortune or when we are sailing into shallows and miseries. Fundraising success depends on its message.”